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Bangladesh's former prime minister has been given a death sentence for atrocities over her harsh response on protests led by students which led to her removal from power.

Sheikh Hasina was found guilty of allowing lethal force to be used against activists, 1,400 of whom lost their lives during the disturbances in the previous year.

Legal proceedings were conducted in absentia by the International Crimes Court in Bangladesh, since she went into exile in India after being removed from office in July 2024.

Prosecutors accused her of being the mastermind of multiple fatalities during the protests. Hasina has denied every accusation, calling the trial as "biased and politically motivated".

The decision signifies a decisive point for Bangladesh, as the protests revealed fury over extended periods of oppression. Families of those killed and harmed had called for strict sentences.

Reacting to the verdict in a detailed document, she expressed the capital punishment was the caretaker administration's way of "eradicating the Awami League" as a governing body and that she was satisfied of her government's record on individual freedoms.

"I do not fear to confront those accusing me in a just legal forum where the proof can be evaluated and examined justly."

The capital, Dhaka, where the court convened, was under tightened security ahead of the ruling on Monday, with several of her detractors organizing a demonstration and celebrating as the verdict was read.

Dhaka experienced a sudden increase in unrest, with dozens of bombs exploded and public transport vehicles burned in the days leading up to the verdict.

One explosive incident was noted in Dhaka on Monday morning, with no victims identified, area law enforcement officer the police spokesperson informed media outlets.

The protest movement led by students during 2024 commenced through calls to eliminate government job quotas but evolved into a broader opposition campaign.

United Nations rights examiners stated in a document in February that the nearly 1,400 casualties could represent "human rights atrocities".

The paper detailed the firing at close quarters of a number of activists, the intentional injuring of further participants, unjustified apprehensions and mistreatment.

Disclosed sound files of a call made by the former leader authenticated by media examinations in previous months suggested she had sanctioned the use of "lethal weapons" in July 2024. The recording was presented in court during the proceedings.

Ahead of the verdict, relatives of those who died in the demonstrations told news agencies they wanted strict consequences for Hasina.

Ramjan Ali, whose family member was fatally wounded in July 2024, said he wanted "severe penalty" for Hasina and others who have "committed acts of vengeance and exploited their positions".

Lucky Akther, whose spouse died near Dhaka in August 2024, said she wanted Hasina's sentence to be "implemented before the election".

"Solely at that point the kin of victims [in the protests] will find peace in their hearts."

Following her removal, an caretaker administration under the guidance of Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus has taken charge. A national vote is scheduled for February 2026.

Nonetheless, the Awami League, her political faction, was banned by Bangladesh's caretaker administration in May.

Hasina warned last month that if the her faction's nominees were banned from standing in the imminent electoral process, numerous would avoid the vote.

The verdict now poses a diplomatic challenge for India and Bangladesh. Dhaka has formally requested her extradition but until now India has demonstrated no inclination to agree.

Her officially designated attorney Mohammad Amir Hossain said he was "unhappy and desiring the outcome had varied".

"I even cannot appeal because my represented individuals are away; that's why I am disheartened," he continued.

Last week, Hasina's lawyers said they had filed an urgent appeal to the UN pointing out significant due process and due process issues at the ICT.

The former leader faced trial alongside her ex-interior minister and police chief.

While the sentence provides certain resolution to families of killed in the protests, it may do little to soothe the state's ideological splits.

"The fury directed at the former leader and the Awami League has not decreased," a human rights advocate from the capital told news organizations. "Both she and the organization has apologised or displayed repentance for the killings of hundreds of people."

She said "This complicates matters for the organization to receive endorsement by a most citizens in this nation."

The advocate continued that the punishment was not resolution for the kin of those fatally and non-fatally harmed.

"We support several people who underwent irreversible limb loss, they are currently without limbs, as a result of the harsh measures. They cannot pardon her."

David Bergman, a commentator on the nation's politics, said the "very nature of the conviction could make it increasingly challenging" for her party to become a normal feature of Bangladeshi politics again.

This might transform if "there is some kind of apology and a separation from Sheikh Hasina and the previous administration," he expressed.